Art is often informed by our surroundings. For Biek Verstappen, her art is informed by architecture and nature in kind: the 1939 industrial shed that houses her studio and the painterly landscapes of the Netherlands beyond its walls. In her self-named line, she draws upon these influences to create heady, intellectual collections plucked from another time.
Biek describes her pieces as “handmade garments that evoke distant memories in contemporary time.” Often presented in rich, earthy hues, the Dutch designer captures a curious romanticism often missing from the offerings of larger studios. She works instinctually, immersing herself in the sensory nature of her materials, such as raw silk, bamboo, angora and yak. Throughout her hand-dyeing process, each fiber reacts differently, resulting in organic, textured and singular fabrics.
Alongside a tight team of seven, she creates menswear and womenswear in small batches. Every garment is made in-studio, quietly passing hands as it develops from concept to raw material to hand-dyed textile to finished garment. In this tactile process, her garments evolve beyond mere wearables into subtle pieces of art.
“My atelier, that’s right behind our house, is a 90 years old, 200 square meters flower bulb shed with flower fields front and back. It is completely quiet there, and because it is close to the sea the wind blows fully over the fields and around the [structure.] The rain creates a serene sound on our metal rooftop.”
Ten years into designing his self-named label, Carsten Rundholz sought out a small team of Japanese textile artists to better understand their indigenous dyeing processes. His intention was to elevate what was, at the time, his only focus: Rundholz. However, with his hands deep in vats of indigo blue, Carsten realized that dyeing techniques were a world of their own… a medium yet explored in his own artistic tongue. From this experience, DIP was born.
Twenty years later, Carsten pays homage to these origins with denim that could be straight off Kojima’s Jean Street. As with all DIP designs, each piece is assembled and then dip-dyed by Carsten and his team. This method leads not only to a unique finish, but moments of precious spontaneity, such as artful splatters across a hem. Often you will see DIP’s care tags soaked and crinkled by the same dye.
Ombré plays a big part in the delivery, reading as equal parts ocean wave and acid wash. Find within the collection many cool and wearable pieces: tees that resemble hard denim, but feel like a favorite cotton shirt; structured jackets made from layered panels to create an armor-like silhouette. Zings of orange pop across the designs in details big and small, from drawstrings and zipper pulls to sporty pull-on pants and soft jackets.
Literally “a reason to live,” Ikigai is a Japanese tenet encompassing the things that give your life purpose, meaning, and joy. For us, it’s beauty; for Carsten, it’s having his hands and brain immersed in the wilds of creativity.
Contrast makes the world brighter and more rich. When we encounter it, a flurry of cones in our eyes reacts instinctively to create a buzz of excitement in the brain. Artists over the ages have drawn upon this visual magic, informed by phenomena found in nature. Some of our most enduring motifs originate from contrasts in landscape: the brush of green foliage over brown earth; blue waves crashing against white sand; a black velvet sky punctuated by white stars.
In Gilda Midani’s second delivery for spring, the Brazilian artist pushes the limits of tonal contrast. Punchy black and white pieces are presented alongside the rust and cerulean designs from her first delivery–as if night has fallen over the Sonoran Desert. When these tones are juxtaposed, their best qualities are heightened. White becomes more vivid, black more intense. Explore the art of contrast through dye-ways such as Star, Stone and Rainy—each starkly evocative of its natural inspiration.
Functionally, Gilda achieves buzz through her natural dye process. The white spots in a design are raw cotton and linen, intentionally mingled among washes of black and grey. Through the careful use of ties, wax and hand-dipping the fabric, she coaxes the pattern to reality. In the end, the best thing about this collection, aside from its inherent artistry, is its easy wearability. The designs are unfussy, and look great layered together or just pulled over a pair of jeans. Care is a breeze too… Toss your Gilda in a cold wash, lay it flat to dry and then enjoy wearing it all over again.
In our quest to find pieces that will best help others express their personal style, we would like to introduce Daniele Basta. Last October, we stopped by his showroom in Paris’ 3rd arrondissement—an antique 17th century building made of exposed woodwork and iron, tucked among galleries and hip cafes. The first thing that struck us, aside from Daniele’s big smile and cool jeans, was his artistic presence. This was someone devoted to the fire of creativity—a virtue obvious from his leather craft.
Daniele first began working as a fashion consultant in 2000, with his self-named label coming to fruition in 2010. Born in Empoli, Italy, Daniele has been influenced by Italian workmanship his entire life. Not only had his family run their own leather atelier for generations, but living just outside of Florence, great leather is practically synonymous with the location.
Daniele Basta Conditioning His Leather Metal Leaf Bag
His leather of choice is an incredibly supple lambskin, an ideal canvas for the deep monochrome dyes that inform Daniele’s palette. In addition to being lightweight for handbags, the handfeel is notably soft—akin to leather accessories that have been worn again and again, becoming more pliant with time.
Migon Leaves Evening Bag in Black (Left), Migon Leaves Evening Bag in Black (Right)Daniele Basta Handstitching Straps To The Inseam
The distinct metal accents on each bag are what really make a Basta a Basta. Made from sterling silver, these handwrought elements add a layer of visual interest and edge. There is a lot of style harnessed within these designs, made by someone who has fully embraced the possibilities of a bold voice.
In the heady prints of Uma Wang’s Pre-Spring, we find not the romance of the garden, but the subtle drama. The delivery evokes the first buds peeking through damp earth, a signal of the world starting anew. Subtle textures in olive and brown dominate the collection in tones that Uma refers to as artichoke, cocoa and hazel.
Pre-Spring is when designers typically deliver their most wearable pieces. We found this collection, with its inclusion of bold leather boots and square camera bags, fun to style and accessorize— ultimately an invitation to layer the fabrications of its central print in many different ways.
Not to be missed are Uma’s pant designs. This is a category we seek often from her for their distinctive character and quality of wear. In classic trouser shapes and intellectual denim, we find them to be flattering on a wide range of body shapes. Add a pair to your own collection for an instant infusion of cool.
Designer Klaus Plank describes his coats and jackets as trusted companions. Pieces you “reach for every day, that carry stories and memories, and only get better with wear.” True to form, you rarely see the designer without his own cotton jacket, typically layered over a simple shirt and pants. This is the heart of his Bergfabel brand: easy, classic pieces that enliven their lifelong companion… you.
One of our favorite things about a Bergfabel is the feel of their fabrics. Hand-selected from small mills in Italy and Japan, Klaus and his partner, Barbara Cavalli, seek textiles with a particular handfeel—often soft and flat-woven cottons, with just a hint of crumple
Klaus and Barbara’s approach to design simultaneously resonates with our competing rural and urban sensibilities—a topic we further explored with them during a brief interview. We encourage you to read their responses here… They have much wisdom to share with us all on living, loving and dressing.
“I love how nature’s imperfections create the most beautiful harmony. Faded greens, earthy neutrals, soft florals, and sun-washed tones reflect [a] quiet poetry…”
While Péro’s work in collaboration with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty dominated their Spring/Summer runway in Paris, what drew our eyes in the showroom was their soft florals. Péro has always excelled in celebrating nature, using floral motifs in ways that are simultaneously playful and powerful.
There’s an inherent nostalgia to designer Aneeth Arora’s ability to interpret the lackadaisical without going comic. In her designs for Péro’s Spring/Summer 2025, we are transported to the secret garden of our childhood dreams… a beautiful, blooming place where we could be whatever fits our fancy.
While we aimed to bring in many favorite silhouettes with this delivery—notably, Aneeth’s shirting and flowy tunic dresses—we found ourselves particularly enamored with Péro’s jackets for the season. The shapes are classic and easy to wear, echoing elements of old English peacoats and carcoats transformed by Péro’s signature whimsy.
On the Riviera del Brenta near Venice, Marsèll’s studio—led by designer Marco Cima—dedicates itself to the study and exploration of form in all its interpretations. Our first spring delivery from the Italian brand features their trademark perfection of shape in a bold new color—a metallic Rosso
Slip on a Coltellaccio Ballerina Flat or a Steccoblocco Sabot Mule and experience the lightness and comfort that comes with wearing Marsèll. The research and care that goes into craftmanship and design make them versatile enough to pair just as easily with rubies as with denim.
Marsèll also excels in the suede department. Using the finest leathers and rigorous attention to detail, the matte finish of the Steccoblocco and Listello in Basalto Brown and a new shade of grey—Argilla.
With slightly stacked heels and leather soles, these shoes are made to last and ready for just about anything the new season will bring. We hope you’ll also enjoy the hit of dopamine this shimmering red provides.
When we first came upon the ceramics of Nobue Ibaraki, we were entranced… There was so much grace and humility abounding from her shapes, we wondered for a moment if we had stumbled upon long lost vessels from Mesopotamia or Ancient Greece. Rather than chase the crystalline glamour of high-fire ceramics, Nobue has dedicated herself to the art of earthenware. We immediately contacted her to acquire a few pieces for the stores. Over a year later, we are happy to announce the arrival of a large body of work straight from her studio in Sano, Japan, a small city north of Tokyo.
Born in Niigata, Japan, Nobue studied fashion design before finding her calling in ceramics. In her small home studio, she gathers clay locally and then shapes it by hand to achieve her organic forms. Her unique tonal finishes are the result of the alchemy that occurs during firing, developing from the reaction between the cobalt and copper of the glazes and the iron-rich clay of the vessels. In addition to being sought after globally, her accolades include being commissioned by the famed Noma Kyoto to create all of their dinnerware.
Nobue’s textures are earthy and spontaneous, yet rendered with a skilled hand. Her work embodies the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, a celebration of simplicity and the perfection found in irregular and imperfect goods. In her collection, find objects as rugged as they are sensitive. These are pieces that play well with others, but make a fine statement on their own—perhaps most at home set upon a wooden table with a few dried flowers poking out the top.
Nobue Ibaraki is currently only available in Wild Life. If you would like to contact us about this collection please visit our Wild Life store or call (505) 982-6192 for assistance.
Hello from the road! As the world changes, so does the way we interact with it. We have had so many requests to see new collections and designers in the last few years, that our buy has expanded into multiple parts. While our full Fall/Winter 2025 buy takes place in March during Fashion Week, we spent these last few days scurrying around Milan and Paris to get a head start.
Tatiana was my steadfast companion on this trip. For those of you who have chatted with her in Workshop, you know just how wise and prescient she is. Together, we navigated the alleys of Paris, fumbling through our phones to find directions to showrooms hidden in the most beautiful and obscure addresses. It rained the whole time, but didn’t dampen our spirits. Laughing fits happened in concert with deep chats about the state of global design.
first stop, MILAN, Italy
DAY I
After a quick spin around Maison&Objet in Paris, we flew down to Milan to dive into the Avant Toi showroom in Milan.
MILAN, Italy
DAY II
Lots of vitality and elegance with Uma Wang and Erdem, and a stop in Bergamo to visit Daniela Gregis in her studio.
next stop PARIS, France
DAY III
A day for cool shirting with Bergfabel, Toogood and Iris Von Arnim.
PARIS, France
DAY IV
A flurry of new faces, and then a welcome meeting with friends: Jan-Jan Van Essche & Stephanie Schneider
PARIS, France
DAY V
Could have spent a whole day with Cottle… incredibly cool denim for fall.
PARIS, France
DAY VI
Lots of hugs for By Walid and Péro, and then an afternoon spent among the happy emeralds and blues…
This is my 17th Fall/Winter buy, and Santa Fe Dry Goods 40th year on the Plaza. And I have to say, this particular part of the job gets both harder and more enjoyable as we grow. Harder, in that there are so, so many people and things we want to see in such a short timeframe. More enjoyable in that there are so many people and things we get to see. Each year has been an improvement on the last, both in quality and style. This is when we find beauty in abundance: distinct and imaginative designs made by creatives who have pushed us to be cooler, faster, better over the last four decades.
Our focus remains on small studios that, by feats of bravery and genius, maintain an unyielding standard of quality. In the face of rising material prices, scarce labor forces, and the ubiquity of cheap knock-offs, they continue to champion substance over shortcuts. We see it appear in different forms: in hand-stitched selvedge denim and butter-soft suede leggings to cool feathered knits and delicately tailored pants. We find these studios to be incredibly clever in the way they flout the siren call of convenience—a virtue we hope you appreciate as much as we do.
As this was just a few days over to see Pre-Fall, what we saw was only a taste of what’s to come. Next up is the Tucson Gem Show in Arizona to seek jewelry for Santa Fe Dry Goods—until then, wishing you warmth, peace and an appreciation for the small things in the weeks ahead.
To all our dear clients and friends, As the year comes to a close, we have a lot to reflect upon. 2025 is our 40th birthday, and we’ve been looking forward to celebrating this milestone. Our flagship, Santa Fe Dry Goods, opened on the Santa Fe Plaza in 1985, succeeding a legacy of women’s wear that first started in 1912, when Johanna Ulfelder founded The White House in the same location. It’s been an amazing adventure since our inception, expanding from domestic design to international fashion, from just one storefront to three, from dancing around the stores to stretching our reach all over the world.
It is an honor and a pleasure to do this work in the way we do it–maintaining uncompromising standards of style and beauty while highlighting all of the wild, inventive, hardworking creatives of the world making the most spectacular things. It has taken a village to make this kind of dream a reality–so to our clients, friends, artists, designers, colleagues and in-house teams: thank-you for all you do!
We look forward to hosting a celebration or two of our 40th this summer…. in the meantime, we hope that your 2025 is bright, beautiful and bountiful. Happy New Year!
